Category: Just fun

Show Summary: It’s I Spy’s Seventh Annual Fourth of July Show! This year, we’re looking at the first 50 years of America, when we nearly didn’t survive. Tune in to hear what was tearing us apart and why we came back together.

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Air Dates: July 1 & 2, 2017 | Greg Leo

Hot dogs, apple pie, picnics, fireworks! What a great time of the year. And once again we’re joined by Greg Leo (greg@theleocompany.com), I Spy’s “in house” historian, for our annual Fourth of July Show.

On last year’s annual Fourth of July show, we talked about the English Civil War and America’s first big milestone, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1826 and all the festivities for the jubilee. This year, we’re taking a closer look at those fifty years in between.

American Revolution War vet, Lemuel Cook. Enlisted in 1781 at age 16. He served at the Battle of Brandywine and was present at the Surrender at Yorktown.

Like today, there was a lot of disunity in America. Having fought two wars with the strongest nation in the world, America was being pulled apart by the War of 1812 and many states weren’t on board with disenfranchising themselves from England. There were secret political meetings to undermine the President. And just like today, there was also a fierce battle going on between the two political parties, the Federalists and the Republicans. One wanted to grow the federal government while the other wanted it to shrink.

Tune in to find out how and why America prevailed and how the second and third generations of the Revolution managed to keep alive the most extraordinary experiment of self-governance — the American Republic. And don’t miss the last letter Thomas Jefferson ever wrote, as his poor health forced him to decline an invitation to attend the 50th Jubilee, that for one last time clearly and poignantly expressed the heart and soul of the Declaration of Independence.